Flotation ore concentrating machine



July 7,1931. j lH.w. PIJl i.I-vfl 1,813,082

rLo'rA'i'Iou oni: coudsnifnmmeumnia l original Filed Feb. 2:5, 19g4 sheets-sneer 1 W/yfsei'- A -v Zug/TOR.

www., N l

I y v ATTORNEYS.

July 7, 1931.- H. w. PUDAN 1,813,082 FLOTATIOH ORE GONCENTBATING MACHINE original Filed Feb. 23,. 1924 2 sheets-Sheet 2 g l l! um @l :im @if INVENTOR.

l I A TffoRNE/s.

I as

Patented July 7, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HERBERT WA-TMOUGH PUDAN,

FLQTATIN ORE' CONCENTRATING HACHIN E Application mea February 2s', 1924, sum1 The invention relates to yan improvement in flotation concentration machlnes. The object of my invention is to provide a flotation machine capable of doing the same 5 work as accomplished by what is commonly called a4 callow cell. My machine is of more simple construction as it dispenses with the air basket or porous bottom through which the air is blown into the cell. My machine is pre-eminently adapted for. the recovery of values from mill tailings because its operation entails no moving parts other than the pulp itself, it has no impellers, no air baskets, takes vlittle operating head and only needs the occasional visits of an operator. There is little to wear out; the original cost of the installation is the whole expense.

. For cleaning or raising the grade ofthe concentrates made by my machine or for the regular .flotation work in a concentrating mill I modify the machine byproviding it with additional air, generated by a suitable bloweror air lift. This air is introduced and incor orated by the machine without the use o moving parts and without the necessity of air baskets or porous bottom.

The machine can be run continuously,

`there is nothing to replace, no need of any shut-down. All other flotation machines are at times shut down to replace motors, im-

pellers or air blankets. Having found a mechanical agi-v method for doin away wit b ankets my machine is very build. For its size it has one'cell as usually constructtation and air inexpensive to great capacity;

ed handles 2,50 tones of vdry pulp per 241 hours. f One important feature of my invention is the placing of these cells back toback and in rows parallel with each other thus giving a greatl treatment capacity in a limited area and with very little loss of operating head. o -I will now proceed to describe the con-4 struction of my machine. In the following accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same.

Oli' CARMEL. CALIFORNIA No. 694,192. Renewed February 1o, 193,1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sect-ion cut through the cells. y'

Fig.v 4 is a sectional elevation showing the air lift arrangement.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a general installation.

Fig. 6 is a Referring to' Fig. 1, the enters the open feed box 1 throu h the pipe 2 which is immediately above t e vertical downpipe 3 connecting' into a horizontal header or feed box 4. The vertical feed pipe can be made several feet high and is designed to entrap air with the descending pulp. The horizontal feed box 4 is made air tight, excepting where the feed enters and leaves the box, and contains air and pul under pressure due to the action of the fall ing column in the downpipe 3. Near the bottom of the feed box 4 .and submerged under the pulp lare openings 5 leading from the feed box or header into the flotation or frothing cells 6. The air charged pulp enters`v the comparatively shallow flotation cells through these'openings and immediate`` ly finds its velocity and pressure greatlyreduced thus permitting thel escapeof the entrapped air and the formation of a froth carrying up a concentrate. The pulp is prevented from agitating the head end of the cell by the baille or grid 7.- The flotation vcell is wide at the bottom Sand narrow at the top.,J Being wide at the bottom slows up the pulp and being narrow at the top gives lthe froth some velocity and helps to crowd it over the froth lips 9 and into the froth launder 10. A V shapedfroth splitter provided at the Vend of the cell. This parts the froth and* assists it'to flow over the' froth lips. An adjustable Weir is yprovided at B57 means of this adjustment the-pulp level ineach the pulp is caused to flow from the feed box the whole length ofthe cell -to the Weir where it drops into theA tailings launder, 12.

cross-section of thesame.

pulp to be treated cell is regulated and v At the bottom of the cell belowl `the weir are i ble loss of slope towards the outlet tending of itself to prevent any accumulation of sands.

The cells can belarranged back to back and in parallel'rows with a common header 4 and froth launders 10 in between the cells.

In this manner great capacity is obtained,

in a small s aca and without any appreciaea A For general mill work and the retreatment of concentrates I find it advisable to provide air from a blower and pipe 14 to the machine. By maintaining a pressure or dynamic head of 1, 2, 3 or more pounds in the general feed box 4 I am able to introduce as much as is necessary of additional air under pressure into the feed box at any convenient intake such as 15. The. additional air whirls around with the pulp in the feed box and becomes incorporated with and completely saturates it. On entering the frothing cell 6 such a mixture is very eil'ective.

Another method of accomplishing the same purpose is to use an air lift 16 as illustrated by Fig. 4f..` This is particularly suitable where the pulp has to be raised to theU flotation plant or raised from say the the pulp is roughers to the cleaners.

The construction of the frothing cells and air ti ht or pressure feed box is the same as be ore. In place of the down pi e 3 it becomes a stand pipe 17, the object o which is to maintain a head of 1, 2, 3 or more pounds on the feed box 4. In operation the air lift 16 raises the pulp to the top of the stand pipe, but it does not overflow there, the outlet is the pressure outlet 5, leading into the frothing cell 6. The air lift connectionto the feed box can be made at any convenient point such as 18.

The operation of the machine or machines is very simple. Pulp enters the feed box 1, takes up air by flowin down the pipe 3, reaches the general feed x 4 under pressure and there, if necessary, takes up additional blower or air lift air by means of the intake 15, passes throu h opening v5 into frothing or flotation cel) 6 where it loses its velocity and pressure to such an extent that froth comes over the lips 9. This froth is collected in the froth launders 10 and run to asimilar cleaning or enriching lant or to where desired. The ulp now come tailings flows over the welr 11 `and through .-spigots,` 13 tofthe tailings lallnder 12 or possiblyto another series of ce s.

The machine as used in conjunction with an air lift operates as follows P ul flows into the air lift at any eleva` tion epending on mill conditions and is raised or boosted u by the air lift to an elevation correspon ing to near the top of the stand pipe rough the openings the mix- 11. As the only outlet for ture of pulp and air passes through these openings under considerable pressure and velocity into the frothing cells 6. The frothing cell operates the same as before.

I claim as follows g' l. A flotation concentrating machine co1nprising a pressure f eed box, va standpipe opening from and extending above said feed box, an air lift extending below said box and adapted to deliver pulp at its top under pressure intoz'said feed box,a froth separating cell communicating with and adapted to receive aerated pulp from the feed box.

2. A flotation concentrating machine of great treatment capacity` consisting of a pressure feed box thru which the pulp to be treated is passed, air lifts, and standpipes connected to said pressure yfeed box, there being pulp discharge openings connected to a plurality of interconnected and adjoining frothing cells disposed in a horizontal plane. y

3. A flotation concentrating machine comprising a pressure feed box, a standpipe opening from and extending above said feed box, an air lift extending below said box and adapted to deliver pulp at its top under pressure into said feed box, the feed box heilig air tight otherwise than as to the passage from the standpipe and the outlet to the froth separating cell and a froth separating cell communicating with and adapted to receive aerated pulp from the feed box.

4. A flotation concentrating machine of great treatment capacity consisting of a pressure feed box thru which the pulp to be treated is passed, air lifts, and stand pipes connected to said pressure feed box, said pressure feed box having pulp discharge openings, each of which connects with a froth separating cell, these cells adjoining yeach other in parallel lines with mutuall froth collecting launders between and disposed in a horlzontal plane.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HERBERT WATMOUGH-PUDAN. 

